


Similar Scarves

by thatmountainhermit



Series: Miraculous Moments [3]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Confessions, F/M, Gen, Marinette is a certified sweetheart, Scarves, adrien is sneaky, surprisingly a major plot point
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-05
Updated: 2018-01-19
Packaged: 2019-02-28 17:02:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13275933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatmountainhermit/pseuds/thatmountainhermit
Summary: Concept: Adrien isn't the first person Mari's knitted for.When Nino wears a scarf Mari made for his last birthday, Adrien notices some similarities





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first published work for this fandom and also I have no idea when happened to the plot or point of view but its like 1 am and i do want to think about this piece anymore so enjoy
> 
> Also my phone is being a bitch and not letting me tag the way i usually do

When Marinette first picked up her mother’s knitting needles at age 7, she had done so with the intent to learn how to make that quiet click-click so quickly, while still making wonderful scarves and beanies and sweaters.

Her first hand-made gift was to Nino, 3 months later, on his eighth birthday. A simple scarf that needed to be wrapped around his neck thrice, lest it dragged when they ran around in the park together. 

Everyone in the class, save Chloe, owned a Marinette-made item. Juleka with her black and purple fingerless gloves, Alix with socks, sporting snakes winding around her ankles. Rose got a bright pink beanie, woollen roses sewn on the side. Nino’s scarf was updated. Of course, they all suspected when Adrien came to school wearing a baby blue scarf, supposedly made by his father, but Marinette said nothing. And so on it went. 

When winter came around, Nino was one of the first to put his gift to use. The green scarf was wrapped tight as he waited outside the school, battling off the surprisingly cold winds of early December. Adrien was unsurprisingly on time in his car, also wearing a scarf - his blue one. 

“Hey, man! Scarf buddies!” Adrien looked up to see Nino waving the ends of his scarf enthusiastically. With a chuckle, he jogged over to join Nino on the steps. “That’s great. Alya’s gonna laugh so much.” 

“Where’s yours from?” Adrien gestured to the green mass wrapped around Nino’s neck. “And why is it so long?” 

“Mari made it for me.” Nino’s grin was bright as he tucked the scarf into his jacket. “To replace this old one she made when we were like, eight. The original was really long too, and I just got used to wearing them like that.” 

Adrien felt his usual smile strain a little, a hot feeling turning in his stomach. Sometimes he forgot that most of the class had known each other basically since diapers. “That’s pretty cool.” He muttered. 

“Yeah, she’s made pretty much everyone something for their birthday. Mari’s awesome like that”.” Nino grinned, and Adrien felt his stomach turn again. Everyone had gotten a present? 

But… he hadn’t, it seemed. 

The thought stuck with Adrien, even as he sat down next to Nino in class. He pulled off his scarf, the heating warming him up the longer he stayed in the classroom. The thought continued to stubbornly stay stuck in his mind, even as he tried to throw himself into taking notes.

It was no use, however, and Adrien resigned himself to making the motions while his mind and eyes wandered to Nino’s scarf, which was placed in a small heap next to Adrien’s own scarf.

The wool was high quality, almost the same standard as Adrien’s own scarf. The stitching was neat and small, obviously made by a practised knitter who knew what they were doing from years of experience. If not for the almost absurd length, Adrien would have thought it was store bought at first glance.

He would have thought it was from the same place as  _ his _ scarf, in fact. 

A thought passed by, idle and quiet, but Adrien grabbed onto it with all of his might.

_ His father’s track record with gifts had never been good. _

Another thought.

_ Marinette’s, however, seemed perfect. _

The thought stayed with him for the rest of class, swirling around and growing and shrinking until one question was left.

_ Why hadn't she told him? _


	2. Sneaking Suspicions, Satisfied

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien gets answers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> People actually liked the first part okay  
> The chapter title is bc I'm a sucker for alliteration sorry if it doesn't make sense.  
> Enjoy, lovelies!

It was pretty much irrefutable fact at this point that Alya knew everything she possibly could about two particular subjects: Ladybug, and Marinette. Adrien had no idea how Alya did it, but she had seemingly gone from complete stranger to best friend within a few days of meeting Marinette, and that had continued through the year. 

 

So of course, when school broke for lunch, she was the one he singled out.

 

“Hey Alya!” Despite Marinette’s aversion to him, Adrien was good friends with Alya. She had cited something about “the bond between new kids is strong” when he commented on it once. “Have you seen Nino’s massive scarf?”

 

“Yeah! Mari knitted it for him to replace the one she gave him when they were like eight. It’s pretty cute!”

 

“Yeah, he told me. Did you know that she’s given a gift like that to pretty much everyone in the class?” He tilted his head, the perfectly practised picture of innocence. 

 

“Yeah, everyone but me and Chloe, and I don’t have one because my birthday hasn’t passed yet.” Alya grinned. “Apparently it’s ‘against the rules’ to get a knitted item before your birthday. Mari’s so cute.” Adrien grinned back at her. While it was true that Marinette was adorable, he noticed the slip of the tongue. 

 

“I haven’t got anything yet. Do you think she forgot my birthday?” Alya’s smile froze in a way that was very familiar, her eyes darting to the blue scarf wrapped around his neck. Adrien knew that look. It was the look of someone who had been caught out. He had seen it on his own face many, many times.

 

“Alya.” Adrien began, speaking slowly.

 

“Yes, Adrien?” Her reply was equally slow, tone far too innocent to be natural.

 

“Did Marinette make my scarf as a birthday gift?” 

 

After a few tense moments, Alya sighed, the tension in her turning to resignation. “You said it, not me, okay Agreste?” She mumbled, rubbing her temples. 

 

Adrien’s grin grew, and the small voice in the back of his mind quietened. Another took its place, a familiar disappointment in his father - and was Nathalie in on it too? - but the fact that Marinette did, in fact, like him enough to make him something lessened the blow, just a little. “Yeah. I’m kind of relieved, honestly,” He started, the insecurities on the tip of his tongue. 

 

“What, did you think Marinette wouldn’t make you something?” 

 

“No!” Alya raised an eyebrow at him. “... maybe.”

 

“C’mon Agreste, give my girl some credit.” Alya laughed. “She’s a bit of an airhead but she remembers the important things.” 

 

“She’s always avoiding me and rarely talks to me when I’m hanging around you guys.” Adrien shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck. “When I heard about the presents…”

 

Alya’s eyes widened. “Oooh. No, it’s definitely not like that.” She grabbed Adrien’s shoulders. “Marinette doesn’t hate you. I don’t think she’d be capable.”

 

“I’m pretty sure she hates Chloe,” Adrien quirked a brow at Alya. “So she’s capable.” He felt the buzz of a phone call, pulling it out to see the Gorilla calling him. No doubt wanting to take him home for lunch.

 

“You’re not Chloe.” Alya muttered, more to herself than Adrien. She noticed the name on his screen and gave him a sympathetic smile. “You’d better get going. I’ll see you after lunch.” 

 

Adrien nodded, and walked out to meet his bodyguard, his thoughts stuck on Marinette once more. 

 

_ Why couldn’t she be capable of hating him? _

  
  



	3. Starting Something New

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien talks to Marinette.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter wooo! Sorry for the wait, I got caught up in some stuff with my other fandoms AND real life!  
> Also, find the irony in one of Marinette's speech "screw ups" ;) First one to find it gets to request a fic. Hint: it's to do with French

Walking into class after lunch found Marinette talking to Alya, grinning as she told some story. With a deep breath, Adrien approached their table. His most polite, most reassuring smile was plastered across his face. “Hey, Marinette!”

It was as if a switch was flipped. Marinette froze, and Alya seemed to be trying not the at least chuckle fondly. Slowly, Marinette turned towards Adrien. “H-hi?”

“Are you free after class? I need to talk to you about something.” Adrien rubbed the back of his neck, watching as Marinette’s face seemed to go redder and redder.

“Okay, that’s yeah! I mean, yeah, that’s fine! I-I have some class after ti- uh, time after class.” Marinette gave him a tiny smile, biting her lower lip in a way that was strangely distracting. “To talk. You with. With you.”

“Great!” Adrien’s smile widened, and he patted her shoulder. Marinette made small squeak, almost too soft to hear. “Thanks, Mari.” He took her answering nod as a sign that the conversation was over for now.

Satisfied, he returned to his seat, only to see Nino giving him a look. Eyes narrowed, a slight frown on his brow. “Since when were you into Marinette?”

“I just want to ask her about my scarf,” Adrien muttered, willing away the heat he could feel on his cheeks. “You know I like Ladybug.”

“Loyal, confident, good leaders, dark pigtails? I think you have a type, dude.” Was Nino’s only response before the lesson began.

Time seemed to slow. Despite Adrien usually enjoying this teacher’s lessons, he found himself glancing to the clock more than ever, which made the class seem to stretch even longer than he thought possible.

When the bell rang, he sprung out of his seat, glancing at Marinette as he packed up his things. Instead of resembling a tomato, and looking almost excited, her face was pale, hands shaking ever-so-slightly as she slowly packed her things. Her gaze was almost solely on her notes, even as Adrien moved to stand near her.

“Are you okay, Marinette?” He asked gently. He had never seen her like this. She looked almost sick.

No reply. No eye contact. Just her walking out the door, fists clenched so tightly that he could see her knuckles going white. He followed, of course, and he soon found himself in the furthest corner of the locker room.

“How did you figure it out?” Her voice was tight, brittle, as if she was desperately trying to keep herself from breaking apart. She still wasn’t looking at him. Something about this whole situation was off, like she was thinking of something much, much bigger than a scarf. Adrien supposed he should be honest, especially since he had no idea what she was thinking of.

“Your scarf. That you gave Nino. It was the same style. And quality.” Adrien rubbed the back of his neck. Marinette froze. “And I asked Alya about it, and she admitted that you made my blue scarf. Why didn’t you just tell me that you made it?”

And just like that, all the tension bled out of her, and she turned to face Adrien. “Wait, you… the sc- this was about your birthday present? Not the fact that I-” Her words stopped short, and her face was back to its bright red hue. “It made you happy. Thinking dad your- your dad made it. I didn’t want to ruin… that.” She was speaking slowly, this time.

Adrien was stopped short by her words. It was one thing that she had made it for him. It was another to let someone else to take credit just to make him happy. His heart swelled with emotion - a familiar warmth, the kind that he felt when he saw Ladybug. “You’re incredible, Marinette.” The words left him without a second thought. 

“I-it worth was it, seeing happy you.” Her smile was becoming more nervous, more… shy.

He gave her a gentle smile in return, reaching out and squeezing her shoulder. “I can’t thank you enough, Mari. Seriously.” He knew he had to make it up to her at some point. Maybe he could post a picture on instagram with the proper credit? Not that he was going to say that aloud.

She merely gave another shy smile in return, her attention taken as their phones buzzed respectively. “Maman me wants a-at bakery the. At the bakery.” Her smile turned apologetic. “You see- see you tomorrow?”

“Yeah. Have a good afternoon, Marinette.” He was smiling like an idiot, the kind that the photographers hated, the kind he only wore as Chat Noir, but something about Marinette’s genuine kindness just made him happy.

As he got in the car, he realised something. The way his heart skipped a beat at her smile, the way he was _still_ smiling, the lightness in his heart.

_Marinette wasn’t just a friend anymore._

 


End file.
